(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf equipment and, more specifically, to golf training equipment.
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.
The traditional “pendulum swing” of a putter, used by most modern golfers, has too many random variables such as the height of the swing, distance of the backswing, speed of the club head on return to the ball for the strike, direction of the aim of club head direction, and rotation of the club head for the mind and muscles to be adequately trained for a consistently successful putt. The traditional pendulum swing is confronted with infinite variables for every putting event and is not recordable and correctable with a device of sufficient capacity that enables making corrections in the putting event. The “pendulum swing” faces its own unique direction, undulation and speed requirements with little opportunity for correction.
Various prior arts disclose a method and apparatus for training a golfer in practicing traditional “pendulum swing” of a putter as described below.
U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2006/0029916 A1 (Boscha) discloses a golf putter for training a golf player, wherein the golf putter has a handle, a head, and sensing unit for sensing parameters. U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2007/0249428 A1 (Pendleton et al.) discloses a putting training device comprising a surface over which a golfer executes a putting stroke, an electric field generator, an electric field detector, a plurality of electrodes responsive to the electric field generator each for producing an electric field and wherein as the golfer executes the putting stroke one or more of the electric fields is perturbed, and wherein the electric field detector detects the perturbed electric field to determine parameters related to putter head movement. U.S. Pat. No. 6,375,579 B1 (Hart) discloses a dynamic laser based golf swing analysis system having single and multiple laser sources which broadcast a monochromatic laser light projected through a cylindrical lens system to generate a series of light planes in space.
In contrast to the “pendulum swing,” a “piston motion” reduces the number of variables effecting putting to a more manageable replication, making it possible to “burn” into one's muscle memory a consistent pattern and result. There are new visual, postural and muscle memory events in the “piston motion” technique that are in conflict with traditional approaches to putting—for instance, the stroke contacts the ball at the end of a motion that is as nearly perfectly straight in 3 dimensions as possible. There is no rotation of the club head. There is little or no elevation of the club head off the putting surface that is sufficient for clearance from the ground to generate a smooth path.